Asbestos find delays re-opening of Woolton Hill church hall

The £400,000 Living Stones project aims to extend and refurbish St Thomas’ church hall and update the church, but the asbestos problem had been discovered at the hall “at the 11th hour” according to fundraising co-ordinator, Mike Palmer, on Monday.
“Completion of the £400,000 building project has been delayed by two weeks due to the recent discovery of asbestos lagging around some old underground heating pipes,” said Mr Palmer.
“The asbestos is in the process of being removed at an additional cost of £12,000.”
An anonymous loan had been arranged to cover the cost, to be paid back over the next two to three years.
Mr Palmer added: “We have already received a donation of £1,000 from the Gerald Palmer Eling Trust – a wonderful reaction to our request for help.”
Phase one of the project included removing the hall stage, creating a new kitchen serving hatch and building a new storeroom.
Phase two included replacing the old toilets, installing a new boiler room, building two new storerooms and two meeting rooms, cladding the inner walls and building new flat and sloping roofs.
The installation of a new floor, lighting and heating, wall insulation, kitchen units and upgrading a meeting room was included in phase three.
Mr Palmer said: “The existing hall is being completely refurbished with underfloor heating throughout and an excellent new kitchen to a ‘commercial’ standard.
“The hall is being re-wired and redecorated, and we even have broadband and wi-fi facilities installed.”
Hall users include Brownies, local clubs and Woolton Hill Pre-school, and it should re-open on Monday September 8, in line with the autumn term.
The monthly village market will return to the hall on Saturday, September 27, with an alternative site being sought for August 30.
A grand opening of the refurbished hall is planned on Saturday, October 4, with invited guests including representatives from four major sponsors of the project – Greenham Common Trust, The Veolia Environmental Trust, Hampshire County Council and Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council.